2007 Harley-Davidson Softail “Black Deluxe” – Award Winning and Magazine Featured

**THIS VERY SPECIAL MOTORCYCLE IS GOING TO BE OFFERED FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH NO RESERVE ON AN UPCOMING BRING-A-TRAILER ONLINE AUCTION. ONCE THE DATES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IT WILL BE UPDATED HERE. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING, PLEASE REGISTER DIRECTLY WITH BRING-A-TRAILER TO BID. IT'S A QUICK AND SIMPLE PROCESS. PLEASE CALL WITH ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. **

“Over the years I've offered some beautiful motorcycles which can be viewed on our website sold page. This example is one of the best custom motorcycles ever offered from the MS CLASSIC CARS Collection. Known as, “Black Deluxe” – this 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom is rolling art work. This is the first time it's been listed for sale. It's also the first time I've used the previous owner's description because it was well executed. Please spend the time and learn what makes this motorcycle so special.” – Marc Schiliro

"BLACK DELUXE" A Ryan Reed / Reed's Ride Designs Custom-Built 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom Deluxe Grand National Roadster Show First-in-Class Winner • Featured in Hot Bike and Barnett's Bike Craft Magazines

4,700 Original Miles | One-of-One, Frame-Up Custom | Complete Build Documentation, Press Features & Provenance Included

The Story: Some motorcycles are bought. This one was built — conceived, sketched, fabricated, and hand-finished from the ground up by Ryan Reed of Reed's Ride Designs, the Southern California shop responsible for some of the most recognizable custom Harley-Davidsons to come out of the SoCal scene. Commissioned new from the factory as a 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom Deluxe, the donor bike was stripped to its essentials and reborn as a benchmark show-and-go custom: a low, dark, gold-lettered cruiser that reads as one continuous line from the narrowed front fairing to the hand-formed rear fender. Every major component on this motorcycle was touched. The front fender was lowered, set back, and fitted with a fender brow that Reed hand-shaped and cast in bronze before chrome plating — a signature detail found on no other Softail. The rear fender was lowered on the factory struts, shaved of its rivets and turn signals, and fitted with a modified 1937 Ford taillight bucket. The front end was narrowed at the factory fog-lamp bar to tuck the lighting in tight to the headlight, the stock running boards were swapped for early style boards trimmed in Ford running-board material, and Chubby Knuckle bars were mounted on hand shaped low risers with chrome-plated Harley-Davidson controls and vintage grips. A hand-fabricated, hand filed stainless exhaust with fully polished 10-inch baffles replaces the stock system, and a hot-rod-style mesh air cleaner with a cut-and-screened intake finishes the engine presentation. The wheels were relaced to 18-inch rims with sixty stainless spokes on black hubs and drilled Ferodo rotors front and rear. The seat was reshaped and covered in crocodile leather by Tony Murga Designs, with the seat bar reshaped on a hand-built, scalloped bracket. A hand-fabricated, low-profile dash carries the factory speedometer and ignition switch, with warning lights relocated to the backside of the fork tin for an uncluttered cockpit. Every panel was finished in deep black, hand-pinstriped and lettered in 18-karat gold leaf by Jay Stemska — lead pinstriper at Troy Lee Designs — then clear-coated and color-sanded to a mirror finish. The finished motorcycle did not stay a local secret for long. It won First-in-Class honors at the Grand National Roadster Show, was featured on the cover of Hot Bike magazine under the headline "The Best Custom Deluxe Ever?" and later appeared on the cover of Barnett's Bike Craft in a multi-page feature on Reed's Ride Designs titled "Hot Rod Harleys: Low-Riding Retros from Ryan Reed." Few custom motorcycles ever earn a single magazine cover; this one earned two, along with the trophy hardware to back them up. The bike was originally commissioned by its first owner, Ron Thompson, who worked directly with Ryan Reed to specify every detail of the build — documented in Reed's own hand across a 21-point build sheet that accompanies this sale. Nick, the current owner, acquired the motorcycle in 2020 and has treated it as the rolling piece of automotive art that it is. In 2021, he added a Legend Suspension AIR ride system, transforming the bike's comfort and handling on the road while preserving — at the touch of a switch — the option to drop the motorcycle back to its original, jaw-droppingly low show stance. Today, with only 4,700 miles on the odometer, "Black Deluxe" remains exactly what the national press called it: a benchmark custom Softail. It is started, run, and exercised regularly, stored indoors in a climate-controlled garage, and treated as a piece of rolling sculpture between rides. The paint, plating, gold leaf, and bronze work all present as they did the day they left Reed's shop — there is no fading, no flaking, and no touch-up work to speak of. This is a turnkey, sorted, and thoroughly documented custom that is ready to be shown, ridden, or simply admired by its next owner.

The Builder: Ryan Reed / Reed's Ride Designs: Ryan Reed has built a reputation in the Southern California custom motorcycle world for taking modern Harley-Davidson Softails and reworking them with the proportions, stance, and finish of a traditional hotrod custom — low, dark, hand-pinstriped, and finished to a level usually reserved for show cars. His work has been associated with the SO-CAL Speed Shop lineage of builders, and his Softail Deluxe builds in particular — including this one — earned him national magazine coverage for taking a production Harley and turning it into something that looks factory-impossible: a fender brow cast in bronze, a hand-narrowed front end, and pinstriping and lettering applied in 18-karat gold leaf by Jay Stemska of Troy Lee Designs. What sets a Reed's Ride Designs build apart from a typical aftermarket-parts custom is the amount of hand fabrication involved — brackets, fenders, exhaust, dash, and seat structure were all made or substantially reworked in-house rather than bolted on from a catalog. The result is a motorcycle that reads as a single, cohesive design rather than a collection of parts, which is precisely why this bike was selected for magazine cover features rather than a single product spotlight.

REED'S RIDE DESIGNS — RECOGNITION & PEDIGREE: SO-CAL Speed Shop Roots — Before founding Reed's Ride Designs in 2007, Ryan Reed worked his way up to shop foreman at the legendary SO-CAL Speed Shop — one of the most respected names in American hot-rodding — giving his motorcycle builds the fit, finish, and proportion sensibility of a top-tier hot rod.

Grand National Roadster Show — This motorcycle earned First-in-Class honors at the GNRS, one of the longest-running and most prestigious custom vehicle shows in the country.

Repeat National Magazine Cover Builds — Reed's custom Softail Deluxe builds have repeatedly earned national magazine cover features — this motorcycle appeared on the covers of both Hot Bike and Barnett's Bike Craft.

Also Featured in The Rodder's Journal — Reed's Ride Designs work has been recognized in The Rodder's Journal, the benchmark publication for builders and collectors across the hot-rod and custom motorcycle community.

In short: this motorcycle isn't just a well-modified Harley — it's a documented example of work from a builder whose reputation, and whose name on a build sheet, carries weight with collectors.

The Transformation: A Fully Documented Build: What makes this motorcycle exceptional isn't only the quality of the finished product — it's the depth of documentation that survives with it. The original owner, Ron Thompson, kept a complete photo album chronicling the build from donor bike to finished show motorcycle, along with Ryan Reed's own handwritten, signed, and dated 21-point build sheet describing exactly what was done to every major component. That documentation is offered with this sale.

The Build Sheet, In Ryan Reed's Own Hand: The twenty-one items below are transcribed from Ryan Reed's original, signed and dated build sheet, reproduced in full on the following pages. Together they form a complete record of the work performed on every major area of the motorcycle.

1. Front Fender — Fabricated brackets to lower and set back the front fender; factory rivets shaved.

2. Fender Trim — Fender brow at the leading edge cast in bronze, polished, then chrome plated.

3. Front Forks — Progressive 2" lowering springs installed; lower fork tubes polished, axle ends detailed, front and rear axles chromed.

4. Front End — Factory fog-lamp bar narrowed 3/4" per side to tuck fog lamps closer to the headlight; lamp and headlight buckets painted to match the sheet metal; front turn signals eliminated.

5. Bars & Controls — Chubby Knuckle handlebars mounted on hand-shaped low risers and bar clamp; chrome-plated Harley-Davidson controls and vintage grips; clutch cable and brake lines re-routed clean with added clamps.

6. Running Boards — Early-style running boards (with Ford running-board material inserts) replace the stock Deluxe boards; stock brake pedal reshaped with a stainless pedal pad.

7. Air Cleaner — Hot-rod-style mesh air cleaner with a custom intake cut into the shell, backed with stainless screen.

8. Exhaust — Hand-fabricated 1¾"–2" stainless exhaust, hand-filed welds, fully polished 10" baffles.

9. Front Wheel — 18" aluminum rim drilled to accept 60 stainless spokes, laced to a black hub with a drilled Ferodo rotor; front tire is a Metzeler ME880 (120/70-19).

10. Rear Wheel — 18" aluminum rim drilled to accept 60 stainless spokes, laced to a black hub with a drilled Ferodo rotor and polished factory drive pulley.

11. Rear Fender — Lowered on the factory struts; rivets and turn signals shaved; modified 1937 Ford taillight bucket fitted to the fender contour.

12. Seat — Reshaped foam and crocodile leather seat by Tony Murga Designs; seat bar reshaped on a hand-built, scalloped bracket.

13. Oil Bag — Seam at the fender neck smoothed over and blacked out, with oil lines routed to keep the eye on the V-twin.

14. License Plate & Lighting — Custom black-and-yellow plate on a bracket built off the rear pegs; turn signals relocated to the rear pegs; trim rings cut down and lenses painted to match the taillight glass.

15. Brake Calipers — Blacked out with chrome-plated hardware.

16. Belt Guard — Blacked out to match the rest of the driveline.

17. Rear Suspension — White Bros. adjusters installed on the factory rear shocks.

18. Gas Tank — Center seam filled and the lower tank edge filed down to allow the seat to be shortened.

19. Dash — Hand-fabricated with a lower profile to mount the factory speedometer and ignition switch; warning lights relocated to the backside of the fork tin.

20. Pinstriping & Lettering — All sheet metal hand-pinstriped and lettered in 18-karat gold leaf, outlined in the seat color, by Jay Stemska — lead pinstriper at Troy Lee Designs — then clear coated and color sanded to perfection.

21. Engine Case — Smooth-cased engine cover, carrying the build's clean theme through to the powertrain.

Press & Pedigree: National Magazine Recognition: A custom motorcycle this thoroughly executed doesn't go unnoticed. This Softail Deluxe was the subject of a cover feature in Hot Bike magazine — framed and displayed alongside the bike for years — and was later featured on the cover of Barnett's Bike Craft in a multi-page profile of Reed's Ride Designs. Both pieces are offered with the sale, along with the framed wall display the motorcycle has lived beneath since the build was completed.

Provenance & Ownership:

Original Build — Commissioned new as a 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom Deluxe, purchased from Harley-Davidson of El Cajon and delivered to Reed's Ride Designs for a complete, frame-up custom build.

First Owner — Ron Thompson, who commissioned the build and worked directly with Ryan Reed on every specification, documented in Reed's signed and dated build sheet.

Show & Press History — Following its build, the motorcycle won First-in-Class honors at the Grand National Roadster Show and was featured on the covers of Hot Bike and Barnett's Bike Craft magazines.

Current Ownership — Acquired in 2020 by the current owner, who has maintained the motorcycle exactly as built, stored indoors in a climate-controlled garage and exercised regularly.

2021 Upgrade — In 2021, a Legend Suspension AIR ride system was installed, adding adjustable comfort and handling for the road while retaining the ability to drop the motorcycle back to its original, dramatically low show stance at the touch of a switch.

Mileage — Approximately 4,700 miles — a true time-capsule example, exercised rather than stored away, with no deferred maintenance.

Documentation Included — Complete photo build album from the original owner, Ryan Reed's signed and dated 21-point build sheet, the framed Hot Bike and Barnett's Bike Craft magazine features, and Reed's Ride Designs specification sheet — all included with the sale.

Specifications at a Glance

"Black Deluxe"

2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom Deluxe

Built by Ryan Reed / Reed's Ride Designs

The Motorcycle:

Year, Make & Model: 2007 Harley-Davidson Softail Custom Deluxe

Builder: Ryan Reed / Reed's Ride Designs

Odometer: Approximately 4,700 miles

Awards: First-in-Class, Grand National Roadster Show

Press: Cover feature in Hot Bike ("The Best Custom Deluxe Ever?"); cover feature in Barnett's Bike Craft

Provenance: Commissioned by Ron Thompson; acquired by current owner in 2020

Chassis & Running Gear:

Front Suspension: Progressive 2" lowering springs; polished lower fork tubes; chromed axles

Rear Suspension: Factory shocks with White Bros. adjusters; Legend Suspension AIR ride system installed in 2021

Front Wheel / Tire: 18" aluminum wheel with 60 stainless spokes, black hub, drilled Ferodo rotor, Metzeler ME880 120/70-19 tire

Rear Wheel: 18" aluminum wheel with 60 stainless spokes, black hub, drilled Ferodo rotor, polished factory drive pulley

Brakes: Drilled Ferodo front and rear rotors; blacked-out calipers with chrome hardware

Engine & Driveline:

Exhaust: Hand-fabricated 1¾"–2" stainless steel exhaust with hand-filed welds and polished 10" baffles

Air Cleaner: Hot-rod-style mesh air cleaner with custom screened intake cut into the shell

Engine Case: Smooth-cased engine cover

Bodywork & Finish:

Bars & Controls: Chubby Knuckle handlebars, hand-shaped low risers, chrome Harley-Davidson controls, vintage grips

Fenders: Front lowered and set back with bronze-cast chrome fender brow; rear lowered on factory struts, shaved, with modified 1937 Ford taillight

Fuel Tank: Center seam filled; lower edge filed for shortened seat

Dash: Hand-fabricated, low-profile dash with warning lights relocated behind the fork tin

Seat: Reshaped foam and crocodile leather by Tony Murga Designs; reshaped seat bar on a scalloped bracket

Paint & Pinstriping: 18-karat gold leaf pinstriping and lettering by Jay Stemska (Troy Lee Designs); clear coated and color sanded

Documentation Included:

Complete build photo album

Ryan Reed's signed 21-point build sheet

Framed Hot Bike and Barnett's Bike Craft magazine features

Builder specification sheet

Highlights:

4,700 miles — true time-capsule example

2 owners from new

2 national magazine cover features

1st in class at the Grand National Roadster Show

Documented from the day it was commissioned to the day it is offered—a Reed's Ride Designs original, ready for its next collection.

Why This Motorcycle Belongs in Your Collection: Magazine-cover custom motorcycles with intact, documented build histories are vanishingly rare. Most show bikes are sold, ridden hard, repainted, parted out, or simply lost to time — their stories disappearing with them. This Softail Deluxe is the exception: a Ryan Reed / Reed's Ride Designs build that earned national magazine covers and a Grand National Roadster Show class win, then was carefully owned by only two caretakers who preserved not just the motorcycle, but the photo album, the builder's signed build sheet, and the framed press coverage that tell its complete story.

For the collector, this is an opportunity to acquire a piece of documented custom-motorcycle history at a fraction of the cost — and effort — of commissioning a comparable build today. Every hand-fabricated detail, from the bronze-cast fender brow to the 18-karat gold leaf pinstriping, is exactly as Ryan Reed built it, on a motorcycle with only 4,700 miles and a 2021 air-ride upgrade that makes it as comfortable to live with as it is striking to look at.

Inspections, additional photography, video walk-arounds, and direct conversations with the seller are all welcome — this motorcycle, and the story behind it, are meant to be seen up close.

A one-of-one, magazine-cover, award-winning custom Harley-Davidson — fully documented from the day it was commissioned to the day it is offered for sale. This is the motorcycle worth waiting for.